Definitely Better
by ManaketeSmoocher
Summary: Coran's life may have gotten off to a rocky start, but things can only get better from here. [Awakening characters arrive in MUCH later, chapter 16]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - Definitely Better will update every Saturday, with the 6th of August being its last update before my mini-hiatus**

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Coran, like most other people, was born at age zero. More specifically, they were born on a sweltering hot summer day in the country of Plegia. They remembered nothing of their birth of course. Most people don't.

The discovery of crawling occurred some time before they had achieved a full year of life, bringing them to strange new places, such as under the kitchen table. At age one they had begun attempts at common human speech, and were succeeding for the most part. When they reached the ripe young age of two, they could walk like a regular human being.

It was also the age of two when they begun hearing words that sounded terrible and nasty to their ear. After throwing a fit about not wanting to be a boy or a girl, their parents had turned on each other in a way they had never seen before. It was quite frightening. The same time next year, such conversations were commonplace. Coran discovered at some point that these 'conversations' were really called 'arguments' and a loving couple shouldn't shout at each other so much. They realized their parents must not love each other anymore.

Their mother left them alone with their father the day before their fourth birthday. They remembered it being awfully hot, as if the sun were trying to stop her from leaving them. But it was to no avail. The red-haired, dark skinned Plegian woman left them regardless of the sun's best efforts.

Coran received their first beating on their fourth birthday. They remembered their father coming home late at night. They had been reading a simple Lightning tome their mother had left with them before her departure when the door slammed open. Jumping slightly at the loud noise, they went to greet the man they called father, only to be met with a violent shove. They couldn't remember the rest. Only that there was a sharp pain in their head and they found themself unable to speak without stuttering for the rest of their days. They were sore for a week.

At age five, Coran stopped calling the man their father. They began to spend more and more time out of the house, exploring the town they lived in. Their favorite thing to do at that time was to sit in the plaza, either trying to read their mother's Lightning time or watching people pass by. So much of their time was spent in the plaza, in the bookstore, and helping out around town, that the residents came to expect their presence. One day the baker gave them a rather nice pastry he claimed to have baked just for them. The schoolteacher would let them sit in on lessons despite not being an actual student. Even the owner of the bookstore began to trust Coran enough to borrow books to read out in the plaza as long as they promised to return them to their rightful place on the shelves.

The man they used to call father became known as the local drunk. Coran found that they couldn't avoid him by staying away from home, so they could only pray to the gods that he wouldn't be in one of his fits of rage when he saw them. Time spent with him was either depressing or painful. Coran found themself resenting him. Of course their mother didn't stay with him. He was a mess. They wondered why she couldn't have taken them with her…

It was on Coran's sixth birthday that they felt a true interruption in the monotony of their daily life. The old man couldn't have been younger than seventy when they first met him. He was a traveller, dressed in heavy robes. A staff was strapped to his back, his bag full of books. Coran found themself drawn to him, like a tentative little bird hesitant to eat seeds scattered about a human's territory. His face, wrinkled and elderly, offered kindness and wisdom. Something about him gave Coran a sort of hope that they would get past the stage in their life they had reached. The daily schedule of avoiding their 'guardian' and following the behests of the townsfolk had gotten old, and they found solace only in the aging Lightning tome they could barely understand.

Coran abandoned their duties, following the strange traveller. His skin was pale, like Coran's own. The six year old had only ever seen such pale skin in their own body. Plegia was a country full of dark skinned people, and though they didn't say it to their face, Coran knew everyone thought they were unnatural. They couldn't even say what had happened during their development to make them so pale, and they didn't particularly like it. It seemed their skin burned if they stayed in the sun for too long, though other people seemed not to have the same issue. Certain people who lost family in a war seemed to resent them for having fair skin, though they couldn't guess the reason. They didn't know recent history, only ancient fairy tales and gossip.  
At the end of the day, Coran discovered that the old man called himself a Sage, and he travelled around, seeing many new sights and helping people. The young child wanted to be just like him. A dark sky scattered with stars hung overhead when the Sage walked across the plaza to the inn. Coran followed him for the last few moments, not expecting anything much to come from it, just wanting to see the man's kind face.

"You're a funny little child, aren't you?" He spoke to them, and they jumped, looking around. "Yes, you. The little one." The Sage knelt down beside them, lowering himself to their eye-level. Coran felt grateful for this.

"W-what do you m-m-mean?" They managed.

"You've been following me around all day, giving me looks of wonder. It's really quite flattering for a humble old man like myself." Coran blinked.

"You j-just g-go where you w-want and h-help people... It's s-sounds so g-good..." The man smiled kindly, his words slow.

"Nothing brings a bigger smile to my face than helping someone in need." Coran thought back to the times they helped the people in town with anything important and nodded.

"Y-yes..."

"What's your name, little one?"

"C-Coran..."

"It was nice to meet you, Coran. I'm Julius. Just a traveling Sage, as I'm sure you've discovered." Coran blinked several times and nodded. "I'm off to my room at the inn. Do take care now."

Julius ruffled Coran's already messy hair and stood up slowly before walking into the inn. Coran stared at the door he walked through before coming to their senses.

Though he was kind a man, they doubted Julius would care to adopt a tiny, weak, stuttering, abused six year old.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 1,135_**

 **In which Coran lives the first six years of their life.**

 **So begins my new story! It is mainly in an attempt to make Coran a better character, a proper OC! Their life here is what would have happened in the original FEA universe without the complications that come with being Robin. It's still not a very good life, but in the end it's definitely better than the struggles they go through in Another Chance.**

 **I will say something about this story: _THE CHAPTERS ARE GOING TO BE VERY SHORT_**

 **It started as a series of short blurbs, and has stayed that way, as that is a very fun writing style for me. This is one of the longest chapters in the entirety of what's been written thus far (the only one to rival it in length out of the 17 chapters is chapter 14), and I apologize for that, but it's easiest to write it this way, and I couldn't imagine the chapters being any longer than they are, even if some of said 'chapters' consist of only one paragraph.**

 **If you are not already aware, Coran is my agender MU from Awakening, and they use they/them pronouns. They are the main character of my modern AU fic (Another Chance), and their appearance is as follows:**

 **Male Build: 2**

 **Face: 2**

 **Hair: 3**

 **Hair Colour: 2**

 **You can easily build them here: .io/RobinCustomizer/ (make sure to replace the.s with actual .s!)**

 **On another IMPORTANT note, it would mean a lot to me if you would check out my profile! I have a poll open for you all to vote on which of my fics you'd like to see more of, along with summaries of everything I'll be posting _every day_ until August 12th!**

 **Next Saturday: Coran begins their new life.**


	2. Chapter 2

Coran's 'guardian' had been an angry drunk when they arrived home. They didn't leave the house until well-past noon the next day due to the pain that shot through them every time they moved. Their only motivation to get up was that maybe Julius could help. The kindly old man claimed that he travelled about, helping people, right? Surely he could help them. Coran carried their Lightning tome with them, stepping into the inn cautiously. They walked up to the front desk somewhat nervously, trying not to wince with every step.

"I-is J-Julius here?" They stuttered. The person shook her head.

"He left this morning. Think he was headed to Ylisse? If you run you can probably catch him. Old fella's always leavin way earlier than he needs to cuz he knows he'll get side-tracked along the way." Coran nodded and mumble their thanks before dashing out the door. "Y'know, I don't think any of us'll be seein that kid again anytime soon..."

Their next stop was the bookstore, to find a map. After figuring out which direction they needed to go, they ran as far as their thin, six year old legs could take them. Before even twenty minutes had passed, they were finding it hard to breathe, but there was still no sign of Sage Julius. Coran saw a family Juilius had assisted in his short time there, and asked through their stutter if they knew where he was. The family answered, stating that he should be nearing the station soon, where he would be getting on a carriage and leaving the country.

Coran ran. They ran as fast and far as their small legs had ever taken them, and even though they tripped over their feet several times, still, they ran. Sweat trickled down their face, though they couldn't remember having drank water anytime recently what with the drought much of Plegia was suffering. The last thing they remembered before collapsing was seeing the station.

As luck would have it, Julius had decided to take a short walk before his carriage ride. 'To stretch my legs' he said. Upon exiting the small, stone building, he saw a figure on the ground, dressed in rags. He recognized them as the child he met just the previous day, and quickly brought them inside the station, forgetting about his stroll. They were breathing heavily, and their skin was burning up. Though he hadn't noticed how thin they were the previous night, he was certainly noticing it then. Julius discovered a multitude of fresh bruises, and even a few deep cuts that would likely leave scars. He thanked the gods he had his staff with him.

Coran woke up a bit later, without the aching pain they had come to expect. They blinked in confusion, sitting up slowly. Their skin felt unbearably hot. A flask of water was placed in their hands, and they looked up in confusion. The kind, wrinkled pale face of Sage Julius hung above them, and they slowly began to drink the water. As soon as the cool liquid hit their parched throat, they began to gulp it down like someone dying of dehydration. Most people in Plegia seemed to be dying of dehydration as of late. After a long silence, Julius spoke.

"Where did those injuries come from?" His voice was slow, patient and kind as it always was.

"My f-f-father..." They mumbled. "Please don't s-send me b-back there."

"I wouldn't dream of it."  
Julius handed them what looked like a sandwich. Though it was a little beat-up, Coran knew it was more than they had eaten in the past couple of days. They ate it as slowly as they could manage, not wanting to seem like a ravenous beast. After they finished, they wiped the sandwiches remains off their face with the back of their hand.

"Weren't you s-supposed to be l-leaving?"

"My job is to help people, isn't it? I think you needed my help."

"I'm s-sorry if you m-missed your carriage..." The Sage didn't respond to their apology.

"How would you like to come with me?" He asked, holding a book Coran recognized as their mother's. "I have a feeling you'll enjoy yourself."

"I..." Julius handed them the Lightning tome. "I-I'd l-love to."

And with that, Coran began their new life.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 718_**

 **In which Coran begins their new life.**

 **SO! I'd like to say I'm sorry for being WAY late updating this so sorry ;v; Casual reminder that the poll I talked about last time is still open!**

 **I also realized I messed up on the link to the Robin customizer, but that's no longer important as I've updated the cover photo of this fic to be a drawing of Coran as a Sage! If you're on mobile and can't see the cover image, I suppose you can just... go google (Robin customizer) and it should be the first link? It's not too hard to find, and if you just go back to chapter one you can see the settings you need to make Coran!**

 **Anyways, now that that's out of the way, I'm going to post the next chapter in apology for this being so late!**

 **In a few minutes: Coran learns that they're on their way to meet someone they haven't seen in years.**


	3. Chapter 3

Turning ten, Coran decided, was quite a big deal. It signified their first step into the world of adults, with their age finally progressing into the double digits. Their life since leaving their town in Plegia had been one full of wonderment and adventure. They met new people constantly, and were learning things about magic they'd never even dreamed of. Julius, despite his old age, never seemed to lose any amount of energy, always excited to teach Coran the many things they didn't know.

Only a year after being adopted by the elderly Sage, he bought a horse and carriage for them to travel reliably on. Nearly a week before Coran's birthday, the man they'd come to see as an almost grandfatherly figure announced that they would be traveling north. Coran thought nothing of it, save for the fleeting thought that they would need to find a robe to keep warm. Two nights before their birthday, and they were nearly asleep, looking up at the twin stars they were born under. Julius spoke.

"Nearly six years ago, to this very day, I met a young woman looking for a new place to live." Coran shifted to sit upright. They loved Julius's stories. "She had just left her good-for-nothing husband out of anger after he squandered nearly all of their money on something useless. Unfortunately, she also had to leave her child the day before their fourth birthday." Coran frowned. This story seemed oddly familiar. "The woman nearly ran me over while rushing somewhere, though she later admitted it wasn't important. She apologized, making sure I was alright."

"I said I was fine, of course. She was ready to go on her way when I said she looked troubled. The woman told me she needed somewhere to live, and I directed her to my old childhood home. I checked my home, now hers, a year after our meeting. She's settled down with a comfortable life on her own now, her only regret that she left her child with a good-for-nothing husband."

"... W-what did she l-look like?" Coran asked quietly when Julius stopped talking. The Sage sighed.

"She had brilliant red hair, and dark skin. Her name was Arya."

Coran didn't speak a word for the rest of the night.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 378_**

 **In which Coran learns that they're on their way to meet someone they haven't seen in years.**

 **I'd like to point out that this is the usual length for a chapter of this series. I might change my schedule to updating twice every Saturday just because the chapters are so short!**

 **Another quick reminder to check out my poll/profile if you haven't already!**

 **Next Saturday: Coran waits patiently for the day they'll meet their mother.**


	4. Chapter 4

"Sage Julius?" It was the day before Coran's tenth birthday.

"Please, little one. You know I'd rather just be called Julius by you." Coran nodded.

"Julius... Are we g-going to see my m-mother?" Julius sighed.

"Yes... Young Arya. I hope she's doing well. This visit was supposed to be a surprise for both of you."

Coran smiled, and the two of them were quiet once more. The almost ten year old read through their old Lightning tome. Over the years they'd lived with Julius, they learned how to cast the simplest of Light spells, and learned that many others existed (Anima spells such as Fire, Wind, Thunder, Dark spells such as Flux, Nosferatu, Mire...). They would practice their magic, but they found that it was usually destructive for whatever reason.

It was cold, but they didn't mind. Every minute spent in the cold of Ferox, the closer they were to seeing their mother.

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 _ **Word Count: 153**_

 **In which Coran waits patiently for the day they'll meet their mother.**

 **I almost forgot to upload this, whoops?**

 **In a few minutes: Coran celebrates their happiest birthday yet.**


	5. Chapter 5

The next day, the cart came to a stop by a rather cozy looking house. It was just on the outskirts of a small village, and snow fell softly as if it wasn't summer. Coran drew their cloak tighter around themself, shivering. They felt nerves tighten up their throat, and found that it was difficult to speak. Even more so than usual.

They realized that they were, in fact, ten years old. And they would be seeing their mother for the first time since they were nearly four. Julius knocked on the door, and the two of them waited for a response. The woman who opened the door couldn't have been more than thirty years old, and her long red hair was in a braid down her back. She blinked in surprise.

"Sage Julius?" He nodded, and she turned her attention to Coran, eyes widening "I-is this..?"

"M-mama?" Their voice was timid.

The Plegian woman took her child up into her arms, hugging them tightly and whispering apologies for leaving them behind. Coran hugged back, feeling relieved that she was glad to see them. They hadn't realized they were nervous about her acceptance, but they were glad to have it. Arya invited the two of them inside, offering to cook. She apologized for not having anything ready, but Julius waved it off, saying they hadn't exactly warned her she would be having guests. After putting their things in the sitting room (which was small, but that didn't matter because Coran and Julius tended to travel light), Arya made them tea. As the three of them sat at the table, she spoke.

"Happy birthday, Coran."

Coran, despite the cold and lack of material gifts, found that it was the happiest birthday they had the pleasure of receiving. Family was the greatest gift of all.

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 ** _Word Count: 303_**

 **In which Coran celebrates their happiest birthday yet.**

 **Ahh, quick reminder to check out my poll/profile if you haven't yet! Just to vote on your favorite of my fics so I can give those priority!**

 **Next Saturday: Coran decides whether to stay with their mother or keep travelling.**


	6. Chapter 6

Coran and Julius decided to stay at Arya's home for about a week. Their time was spent helping Arya out around the house, sharing stories, going out into town, or just spending time together over a cup of tea (which Coran found they quite enjoyed, especially when paired with honey). The day they planned on leaving, Arya approached Coran. She was holding a weathered old book. When she handed it to them, they noted that it was full of blank pages, save for the first one that had what they assumed was their mother's handwriting. It said 'I love you' with a depiction of a mother holding her newborn child. Coran looked at her in a silent request to explain.

"I know it's a little late for a birthday gift, and I know it would be too much to ask you to stay here with me, but I would like you to have this. I've had it since you were in swaddling clothes, and I always planned to give it to you as soon as you learned to write. I hope when you write in it, you think of your mother who loves very much." Coran smiled at her.

"I-I will."

"... You really want to keep traveling? It won't get tiring?" She asked with concern, and Coran shook their head.

"I like t-traveling a lot. I get to m-meet new p-people everywhere I go." They hugged Arya. "I l-love you, m-mom."

"I love you too." She looked at Julius, who was standing in the doorway. "Stay safe, you two. And know that you can come by anytime."

"Don't worry, Arya. I'll make sure of it." Julius reassured her.

With that, the pair of them left to resume their life of travels.

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 ** _Word Count: 291_**

 **In which Coran decides to keep traveling**

 **Arya is a good character and I like her a lot. Shame I don't write for her too often.**

 **In a few minutes: time passes, and Coran realizes Julius won't be around forever.**


	7. Chapter 7

Since Coran's tenth birthday, they would visit their mother bi-annually; once in the summer, for their birthday, and once in the winter for hers. It was a pleasant cycle, and with Julius, everything felt very familial and enjoyable. It was halfway through Coran's fifteenth year of life, sometime during the autumn, when there came the realization that things wouldn't be that way forever.

"I'm an old man, you know." Came the voice of Julius from behind Coran in the cart. They had learned to drive it at some point so Julius could rest more.

"Yes..?" They didn't see where he was going with that.

"I won't be around forever. One day, if you stay on this path, you'll be driving this old cart alone." Coran blinked, digesting his words.

"M-maybe so, but..."

They looked up at the stars above, each twinkling in their own unique way. Almost like people, with their seeming similarity yet world of difference. In one he could see the kind smile of Julius. Another, the warm embrace of their mother. Yet others, still, reminded them of the people in the village they grew up in. A smile graced their face, and they sighed wistfully.

"I don't think I'll r-really be alone."

"I'm glad to hear it."

In that moment, Julius sounded so relieved, and Coran had to remind themself that he was only human.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 228_**

 **In which time passes, and Coran realizes Julius won't be around forever.**

 **Just a quick reminder to check out my profile and vote on my poll! This fic hasn't gotten any votes, though due to Another Chance (the 'parent' fic is what I'd call it) being one of the fics in first place, I'll probably keep updating this regardless on whether or not it gets any votes.**

 **Next Saturday: the inevitable happens.**


	8. Chapter 8

It was a pleasant day in the spring of Coran's sixteenth year when Julius passed away. Him and Coran had been relaxing under a tree, having a soft, meaningless conversation. They spoke of far-off lands, across the sea. Of people who could turn into brilliant animals. Books older than time itself. A lull in the conversation, and Coran looked over at Julius. The old Sage had his eyes closed, and Coran's next words were barely above a whisper.

"Thank you."

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 80_**

 **In which the inevitable happens.**

 **They're really happy for the years they got to spend with him, despite barely being an adult in those times.**

 **In a few minutes: Coran makes a surprising new acquaintance.**


	9. Chapter 9

Coran had gotten to work making a grave for their grandfather-figure almost immediately. They didn't feel sad. Julius had lived a long and happy life, and left Coran with only pleasant memories. When they thought back on him in later years, it was only with fondness. They could only be thankful to the gods for giving them the opportunity to spend ten years of their life with him.

Searching for a shovel to dig the hole with had taken little time, but digging the hole itself was where they struggled. Coran was by no means muscular. They were still rather small and thin for their age, and they couldn't think of any spells to dig the hole with ease. Besides, even if they did, they wanted to put effort into Julius's final resting place.

A sound startled them out of their attempts at digging a hole. It sounded as if someone had tripped and fell onto a bush. They set their shovel down, looking towards the nearby woods. A bush indeed seemed to be rustling, and someone's head popped up from behind it. Coran made eye contact, but their eyes were quickly drawn up to a pair of floppy ears. They looked back to the Taguel's face in surprise. Coran thought they had all been hunted down..?

The Taguel jumped up, running back into the woods. Coran held a hand out in that direction as if to tell them to wait, but no words came from their mouth, and they continued with the digging of the hole, not wanting to chase the Taguel. By the time they were even semi-satisfied with the hole, it was dark, and they were exhausted. Only meaning to rest their eye for a moment, they ended up falling asleep, not waking til the sun rose again.

Coran looked at the hole and frowned, as it was no longer a hole. Someone had dumped all of the dirt back in it. Sighing, they looked around. Nobody seemed to be in sight, and they resumed their task, making sure Julius's body stayed out of the sun and in the shade of the tree. They worked til midday, at which point they decided they needed to eat. After their short lunch break, they found that the hole had been filled in again, and groaned.

"W-what in the w-world..."

They looked to the bush they had seen the Taguel in earlier, only to see them spying on them. Upon realizing they were discovered, they turned to run away again, and Coran called out.

"Wait! I'm n-not going to h-hurt you!"

The shapeshifter seemed to ignore them and they sighed, getting back to work. They really wanted to finish this grave before Julius rotted away! By the time night fell again, the hole was mostly finished. They decided to pretend they were sleeping so they could catch whatever was filling in the hole every time they made progress. Coran's suspicions were on the Taguel, but they didn't want to jump to conclusions. They heard rustling and opened their eyes.

"Why d-do you k-keep filling the h-hole in?" A squeak came from the figure.

"This is no place to bury your dead!" It was the Taguel. Coran blinked.

"You're right..." They looked over at Julius's body. He deserved to be buried somewhere better. Their eyes widened. Gods, they were a fool! "I sh-should bury him at his o-old childhood h-home..." They watched the Taguel kick the dirt back. "W-why do you c-care about what I do?" The Taguel clicked their tongue.

"I don't. I just don't want this human being buried here." Coran frowned.

"Oh... S-sorry for assuming th-things of you." They took the tarp they had, wrapping Julius's body in it.

"... That's the first time a human has apologized to me." Coran smiled at them.

"W-well, it won't b-be the l-last if you keep t-talking to me. My n-name is Coran."

"... Baize."

Baize walked closer to them, and Coran noticed the blue, almost armor-like leather they wore on their upper half. Their face and body seemed rather feminine, but the way they carried themself was the opposite. Coran's eyes flicked up to their ears, and noticed the accessories on them were ones they recalled only male Taguel wore. They decided Baize was probably male in that case. Coran realized they were being sniffed, and tried not to look weirded out. Apparently they succeeded.

"Where are you gonna bury it?" Coran frowned.

"I-I'm going to b-bury _him_ up north in F-Ferox."

"Right. Him. I'm going with you." Baize stated, looking around.

"Y-you are?" He nodded.

"You look like you've never travelled alone, and I'm getting sick of this place. Both of us get something out of it. Where did your friend go?"

"My f-friend?" Coran questioned stupidly before realizing this was a Taguel they were talking to, and he probably meant their horse. "O-oh, right, sh-she's over there, with the cart."

Baize picked up Julius's body, carrying him over to the cart, and Coran followed with only the slight objection that he shouldn't carry Julius so carelessly. In the end it don't matter. Coran couldn't help but laugh a little at their odd new friend, if they could call him that. It was going to be an interesting ride, to say the least.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 882_**

 **In which Coran makes a surprising new acquaintance.**

 **In case you're wondering, Baize is indeed a trans boy. I'd also like to note that I kept the tradition of naming taguel after types of fabric. The first sentence you'll see when looking it up is from Wikipedia:**

 **"** **Baize is a coarse woollen (or in cheaper variants cotton) cloth."**

 **And, in case you aren't aware (because you haven't seen my A/N on Another Chance, which I would completely understand tbh), I'm updating four chapters of this to make up for the lack of update over there. Enjoy?**

 **In a few minutes: Coran grows closer to their new companion.**


	10. Chapter 10

Baize insisted that Coran didn't need to drive the cart at all, only tell him where they were going. He spent most of his time walking beside Coran's old horse and they suspected Baize was talking to her nearly the whole time. As such, Coran spent the majority of their own time reading the Lightning tome their mother had left them with over ten years ago. When they weren't on the move, they were usually exchanging stories with each other; Coran of their travels with Julius, and Baize of their life separate from people. Baize often went out to hunt for food, whether it be wild game or berries. The two of them discovered early on that their species, though similar in human form, had very different digestive systems. Coran would often have to do the cooking because otherwise Baize would create something inedible for the human stomach.

As the pair travelled north, it grew colder, and harder to make fire due to the snow and lack of dry wood, as well as strong winds. On the first particularly cold night, Coran had been shivering so terribly they couldn't sleep. A strange flash of light happened, and Coran turned to look towards it. Before they could contort themself to see, they felt a warm body press against them.

"... B-Baize..?"

"You looked cold." His voice was distorted, and he sounded embarrassed. "I just don't want you dying on me..." Coran sighed, practically sinking into his fur.

"I d-don't think that'll be h-happening anytime s-soon..." They mumbled, giggling slightly.

"... Good."

The Taguel pulled them closer, and Coran didn't feel cold at all anymore.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 271_**

 **In which Coran grows closer to their new companion.**

 **I really liked Baize as a character. He was kind of funny to write. Y'know, just in case anyone needed a trans tsundere rabbit, he's there for all your needs.**

 **In a few minutes: Baize meets Arya.**


	11. Chapter 11

Much of the nights passed like that from then on. Coran would be kept awake by the cold, and Baize would cuddle with them after almost an hour had passed. The time frame got shorter and shorter, and one day Coran asked if Baize would just start the night with them so they didn't have to suffer those extra minutes. Baize obliged, and the huddle for warmth was a normal thing for them at that point. One of the only positive things about the cold was that Coran knew Julius's body wouldn't rot. It was odd to think about.

After what felt like a month of travel (but was likely much, much less), Coran pointed out their mother's house on the outskirts of town. They suggested stopping by the inn and resting up before continuing on, but Baize vehemently objected. Not wanting to upset their friend, they went with his wishes. It occurred to them afterwards that there was the possibility of the townsfolk hunting Baize down for his fur, and they expressed their sincerest apologies. They were forgiven quite quickly, and when night fell, they were knocking on the door to Arya's house. The red haired woman responded, looking confused.

"Coran? It's not that time of the year yet, is it?" They shook their head, realizing that she was looking directly at Baize.

"N-no, it's not... I... Th-this is Baize. He h-helped me get b-back after J-Julius..." They looked down, and Arya sent a grateful look towards Baize as she stepped forward to hug her child.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry."

The Plegian woman invited the two of them into the house, and Coran immediately sat on the couch. Baize entered with some hesitation, only stepping into the warm building after Coran patted the spot next to them. The Taguel sat a little closer to them than necessary, looking nervous. It occurred to Coran that this was likely the first time he'd been in a human home, and they put a hand on his head, petting him soothingly.  
"She's my m-mom. Her n-name is Arya." They provided, and Baize nodded, relaxing a little.

"I guess she's fine then." He muttered, and Coran smiled at their friend.

The two of them went to bed after drinking a spot of tea Arya had brewed. Coran sank into the comfort of the bed with a sigh, not having slept in one ever since they began traveling with Baize. Not even ten minutes after they'd started dozing off, the door to the room they were sleeping in creaked open, and a warm, mildly furry person slipped into bed beside them. Coran let out a 'muh?' of confusion, and Baize mumbled his response.

"Just in case someone breaks in or something, I dunno." Coran giggled.

"I bet you just can't s-sleep without someone to c-cuddle with..."

"Shut up..." He mumbled.

Coran knew they were right.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 481_**

 **In which Baize meets Arya.**

 **In case you're worried it's too fluffy, happy, and cute, don't worry about that.**

 **Next Saturday: Julius has a humble funeral, and Coran and Baize leave on their way.**


	12. Chapter 12

The next day, the three of them buried Julius. It was a quiet ordeal, but in the end Coran was happy he had found his final resting place right where he grew up. They stayed with Arya for a while, almost two weeks. At the end of those two weeks, Coran found that they wanted to continue the way of living they'd had with Julius, and announced that they would be doing so. Arya helped them pack, and Baize said he would travel with them. The two of them stood by the old horse and cart Coran had so many memories with.

"She's a really strong girl, y'know. Kind of tired though." Coran nodded.

"I know... Do you... D-do you think we should l-leave her with my m-mom?" Baize thought for a moment.

"She said she didn't mind the cold last month. What do you say, girl?" Coran waited for Baize to translate. "She says she'd like to stay here. Her life of traveling was fun, but she's ready to settle down. She's glad to have met you and the old man." Coran smiled and stepped closer to the horse, hugging her around the neck.

"I l-love you, old girl. I h-hope you enjoy your n-new life with m-mother."

They informed Arya of their decision to leave the horse with her, and the two were on their way.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 228**_

 **In which** **Julius has a humble funeral, and Coran and Baize leave on their way.**

 **fun times**

 **In a few minutes: Baize leaves**


	13. Chapter 13

Walking on foot seemed to give Coran a whole new perspective. The snow fall seemed gentle, not whipping against their face. Soft crunching accompanied their every step, and more often than not, a cold gust would cause them to draw their cloak tighter around them. When the two of them had almost reached the next town on their way south, Baize began fidgeting. By the time the town was in view, Coran decided to question his odd behavior. Baize never seemed nervous, and he was usually very chatty.

"Is s-something w-wrong?"

"I..." He looked down at Coran, stopping in his tracks. "Before we travel together any more, I have a... confession to make..." Coran tilted their head in confusion.

"Confession..?"

"I... I'm really fond of you." He seemed to be fidgeting with the white string around his hips. "Like, REALLY fond. I don't know how to put this in any other terms than..." He was blushing. "C-Coran, would you be my mate?"

Coran blinked, not having been prepared for that at all. Mate..? Why would he want them of all people? Coran didn't find themself to be anything special, really. And they didn't think they would be a very good match. Coran's lifestyle was full of interaction with other humans, and Baize just couldn't be with them in that case. There was always the danger of him being hunted for his fur. Baize bit his lip at Coran's silence.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..."  
"N-no it's okay, I-I was just..." They paused, and restarted their sentence. "I-I'm the one who should be s-saying sorry. I've n-never thought of you th-that way... And our l-lives are too d-different. How could we f-form any sort of r-r-relationship when I'm c-constantly surrounding myself with other h-humans?" Baize looked down.

"I guess I'm just selfish. Maybe I want you all to myself."

"Baize, I'm s-sorry..."

"No, I know." He smiled. "You have your life. I can't take that from you. I'm sure I'll find someone else." Coran frowned.

"I... Y-yeah..." Baize put a hand on their shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry about this. It's not too big of a deal."

"B-but..."

"No buts! I want to see that smile on your face again before I leave!" Baize was smiling at them, but Coran only frowned more.

"You're l-leaving me?" They felt cold inside.

"Yeah... I don't really want to, but if I stay my feelings are gonna get out of hand and I don't wanna force myself on you. I hope you remember me with good memories in mind."

"Baize..."

"Hey, maybe we'll meet again! I promise to look all over for you as soon as I move on!" Baize continued smiling, though it looked a little strained. "Come on Coran, show me that smile…"

"Is that a p-promise?" Baize nodded firmly, and Coran smiled. "Then I'll w-wait for the day I can s-see my best f-friend again."

With that, the Taguel turned around and walked away. Coran saw him transform in the distance, and prayed that he would stay safe until they met again. They turned on their own path and started their journey alone for the first time in their life.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 528_**

 **In which Baize leaves.**

 **Coran has literally never been on their own until this moment**

 **Next Saturday: Coran isn't completely prepared to help people out, but they try their best.**


	14. Chapter 14

Coran reached the town soon after that, with not much on their mind, despite what had just happened. They were cold (should probably try to find warmer garments while they're traveling in Ferox), hungry (hadn't eaten since breakfast), and tired (from walking all day). The sun had recently set, and Coran felt like ice. With the money they had left from Julius, they got a room at the inn, planning on solving their issues in the morning.

When morning came, Coran rose from the bed, strapping Julius's old staff to their back and carrying their mother's Lightning tome in a satchel along with their coin purse. They set off to buy a new set of clothes, along with a warm cloak, before finding somewhere to eat breakfast. After doing so, they realized that their bag felt much lighter, and they would have to find a way to make money soon. Distracted by their thoughts, they almost ran into an old woman who was window shopping at a textile vendor. They smiled in apology before moving on, wandering about town. How had Julius made money for the two of them? He'd helped people around wherever they were staying, hadn't he? Perhaps Coran could do the same.

"S'il vous plait, monsieur, you must help, Maman is very sick!" There was a small girl in rags pleading with an older man, likely a rich doctor from the looks of it. Coran stopped to watch.

"I've already told you that if you can't pay, there'll no help for you. Be on your way." He waved her off, continuing on his walk, and the little girl balled her small hands into tiny fists.

"I hate all of you rich docteurs!" She shouted, but nobody seemed to be paying her any mind save for Coran.

"Excuse m-me, where does your m-maman live?" The girl squeaked when she heard Coran's voice. She turned and looked at their clothes in distrust, likely because they were new, and clean. "I j-just want to help. That m-man is c-cruel for turning you away." She sniffed.

"They're all like that. Maman and I don't have money to pay les docteurs parse-que we just moved from Rossane. B-but Maman is sick because we don't have money! And I can't find work to help her!" The girl clung to Coran's robes, and they knelt down to hug her.

"I don't need m-money, I just want to h-help you." They picked her up, not wanting her dirty, bare feet to stay in the snow. She was probably getting sick the longer they stood out there. "Why don't you t-tell me where your h-house is? I'll s-see how I can h-help." The young girl sniffled and nodded, telling them which streets to go down.

The two of them arrived at the house, though Coran could barely call it such. It was tiny wooden shack with more than a few drafty holes. The door was rotting away, and when they walked inside, they saw that the floor wasn't really a floor, it was just the dirt that hid under the many layers of snow outside. When the young girl jumped down from their arms and ran to her mother, Coran's eyes widened in horror.

"Maman? Maman, réveillez-vous!" She shook the woman. "Maman, I brought un docteur!" The dead woman's head lolled as her daughter shook her body. Coran slowly walked closer to the girl, taking her hand and pulling her away.

"W-what are you doing?" She asked them. Coran swallowed the lump in their throat.

"I-I'm s-sorry."

"You said you would help her!" She shouted, and Coran picked her up again, backing away from the body. "You lied to me, you said you would help Maman! Put me down, pose-moi par terre!" She struggled in their arms, but Coran kept a tight hold on her.

"I-I can't h-help, I..." They left the house, quickly walking away. "N-nobody can h-help her now except the g-gods."

"What's wrong with Maman?" Her lip trembled, Coran realized with dread that she couldn't have been older than three years.

"Sh-she's not... She's not going to w-wake up. Never again."

They were quiet, and the girl seemed to understand their implications, because at that point she hid her face and cried, eventually crying herself to sleep. Coran put her in their room at the inn, tucking her into bed before setting off to find her a pair of shoes, and some new clothes (or at the very least a new cloak). They returned as soon as they could, and saw that the girl was still asleep. Sighing, they set the shoes and cloak by the bed, leaving again to find her something to eat. When they returned again, she still hadn't awakened, so they spent their time reading until she did.

"Mmm..." They heard a small groan from the bed, and looked over to see the girl waking up.

"Hello." They greeted, softly closing their book. "Are you h-hungry?" She nodded, seeming to notice the tray on the bedside table.

"... C'est pour moi?" Coran thought for a moment before nodding.

"Y-yes, I got it f-for you." She started eating. "D-don't swallow too fast, you m-might ch-choke."

"Désolée." She mumbled, eating slowly.

"..." Coran really needed to brush up on their foreign languages. "What's your n-name?" They asked after she finished eating.

"Euh, Adélaïse." She shivered. "Et toi?"

"M-my name is Coran."

"Corrine?"

"N-no, just Coran."

"Coran."

"Yes." Adélaïse yawned, and Coran kept speaking. "We're g-going to have to f-find you a new h-home."

"Oh... Je ne sais..." She shook her head. "I don't know if I can..."

"You c-can't stay all by y-yourself." They frowned, then an idea came to them.

"Would you l-like to live with my m-mother?" Adélaïse thought for a moment.

"Oui!"

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 962**_

 **In which Coran isn't completely prepared to help people out, but they try their best.**

 **Oh hey... this still exists...**

 **Next time: Coran winds up at their mother's house _again._**


	15. Chapter 15

Coran had to rent a horse and small cart not unlike their old one to bring Adélaïse to their mother's house. It was expensive, but they couldn't imagine subjecting her to such a long walk in the cold. She seemed much healthier than before, and despite the shock of her mother dying, she was quite happy. This was likely because she was so young she barely knew her mother.

They spent the day traveling, with Coran telling her stories of their experiences with Julius. Adélaïse excitedly asked them questions, wanting to know everything. At night, Coran would work on teaching her how to read. Her progress was slow, due to knowing two languages, but she was dedicated. Oftentimes, she would fall asleep in Coran's lap while they read to her by the light of the campfire. She began calling them her 'nounours' which, when Coran asked about it, she claimed meant 'teddy bear'.

It was quite pleasant, and when the pair reached Arya's house, Coran realized it was nearing their birthday. They were glad for this, as it made the cold of Ferox seem just a little bit warmer, and the snow fell just a little less frequently. Arya was glad to see Coran arrive earlier than usual for their birthday, but she immediately asked who Adélaïse was. Coran explained the story shortly, and Arya smiled, happy to adopt the young girl. The two females got along wonderfully, and Coran couldn't help but think this was their mother's way of making up for not being there for them when they were young.

It was a pleasant birthday.

Coran was then seventeen.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 271**_

 **In which Coran winds up at their mother's house _again._**

 **i'm really bad at updating things huh? Also I'm going to move to Ao3 at some point btw. This website doesn't have the same kinda audience and I feel like Ao3 would be better for me? who knows, but for now I'll try to write here**

 **Next time: Coran meets the Shepherds, proving that this is indeed a Fire Emblem Awakening fanfic in more ways than it taking place in places that have the same names as places in FEA.**


	16. Chapter 16

After leaving Adélaïse with their mother, Coran set off once more to leave Ferox. They were sick of the cold weather, and planned on leaving it behind until their mother's next birthday. Stopping to return the horse and cart to its owner in the town they met Adélaïse, they managed to earn a bit of coin by helping the townsfolk. They went on their way once more, helping people, earning money, and sleeping in the most affordably comfortable inn they could find.

It was in Ylisse, when they were eighteen, that they first encountered the Shepherds. They were a small group, consisting of the prince and princess of the realm, three horse-riders, an axe fighter, and a mage. And a knight who wore a surprising amount of armor, considering how often he was overlooked. By then, Coran liked to think they were quite skilled at casting Light spells, and semi-decent at healing. They assisted the group in fending off bandits, and joined them in their post-battle merriment.  
The axe fighter, Vaike, seemed much too drunk to hold an intelligent conversation. Prince Chrom and his sister, Princess Lissa, were being closely guarded by Sir Frederick, their retainer. Coran decided to keep their distance of them as well. That left the two less-experienced horse-riders and the mage. They chose to approach the mage (Miriel, if they remembered correctly) and attempt to start a conversation, as they had a common knowledge in magic.

"Umm, e-excuse me..." They sat down by her, and she seemed to be engrossed in her reading. Coran tapped her shoulder.

"Hmm? Oh, hello. Did you need me to move?" She made to get up, and Coran shook their head quickly.

"N-no, I was just..." They frowned. "I w-wanted to m-meet you properly." She looked slightly bored, so Coran kept speaking. "I s-saw that you s-specialize in the F-Fire branch of Anima m-magic?" They stammered, feeling slightly uncomfortable under the woman's gaze. She smiled.

"And you with Light magic, though I doubt that you would be unable to utilize Anima tomes as well." Coran smiled back at her.

"L-Light magic is what I s-started with back in my homet-town, and what my..." They frowned, not sure what to call him. "... My g-grandfatherly figure? He t-taught me Light magic, and h-how to use a staff. I've been t-trying to learn Anima on m-my own, but it's been d-difficult." Miriel adjusted her glasses.

"Yes, I can imagine branching off into the other forms of magic could be quite difficult. I, myself, only have ken of Anima. I plan to master the art before adding more to my list of studies, though I'm not against a small amount of dabbling here and there." She recalled what Coran said earlier. "You mentioned a grandfatherly figure? Is he anyone well known?"

"H-he was a S-Sage named Julius." Coran smiled nostalgically. "He p-passed away two years ago."

"I believe I've heard of him. He used to travel the lands, giving lessons to those eager and helping people in need."

"Mmm, sounds l-like him."

"You say he was the one who taught you Light magic? I'd like to see your skills sometime."

The conversation returned to that of magic, and Coran found that they got along quite nicely with the older woman.

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 545**_

 **In which Coran meets the Shepherds, proving that this is indeed a Fire Emblem Awakening fanfic.**

 **WOW I haven't been here in forever! I think my dad started reading my fanfic also? Hi dad**

 **Next Time: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It's Robin!**


	17. Chapter 17

A few months later, Coran found themself in the southernmost area of Ylisse. The town they were staying in was uncreatively named 'Southtown' but then, Coran thought, Ylisseans have never been good with names. The main road to Ferox was simply called the Northroad, after all. Everything had been going as usual until a brigand threw his axe through the window of the inn Coran had been breakfasting at. They grabbed their Shine tome (a recent purchase, as the Lightning their mother gave them had become more of a personal belonging than a practical spell to use) and Heal staff (not the old staff they got from Julius; they weren't even sure what kind of staff that was, and they didn't want it to break in the heat of battle) before darting out of the building.

Barely dodging an axe swing due to their short stature, they spun around, casting Shine. The barbarian was certainly dead at that point, and his friend ran off, away from the inn. Looking about, Coran saw that they had set fire to some buildings. They searched for injured townsfolk as they made their way to the central plaza, healing everyone they could. Every brigand they ran into received a swift blast of magic, though they tried not to kill too many. As they reached the heart of the town, they saw a yellow-clad healer following behind her companions. Coran quickly cast a Shine spell at a swordsman sneaking up on her, and she turned around, startled.

"Woah, who're you!?" She exclaimed, holding her staff in front of her in a defensive stance. Coran noticed there was a cut on her right arm.

"I'm Coran. I b-bumped into your group a f-few months ago?" She relaxed.

"Oh right, the Sage guy!"

"Ahh, umm, I'm n-not a g-guy..." They mumbled, though they weren't sure that she heard them. "Y-your arm is hurt, c-can I help?" They asked, pulling their own Heal staff out.

"Gosh, if you would that would be great! It really sucks that you can't heal yourself with your own staff." Coran healed her, not in the mood to explain the theory behind healing magic and why it would be impossible to heal yourself.

Away from the two exclusive magic-users, Chrom was fighting alongside his new ally, Robin. The two were advancing across the bridge to fight the bandit's apparent leader, with Frederick off fighting somewhere else. After offing the leader, the two men looked at each other with a smile. Robin looked away from Chrom after a bit before asking a question.

"Where did your sister go?"

Before Chrom could feel a substantial amount of panic, they heard laughter approaching. The very yellow princess was walking towards them at a casual pace with who Chrom recognized to be the traveling Sage from a few months prior. Robin didn't know them, but something about them seemed oddly familiar. Shaking his head, he followed Chrom to meet them halfway.

"Sage Coran, long time no see." His smile was friendly. Coran laughed quietly.

"P-please, just Coran. Y-you're in n-no p-position to be showing me s-so much respect."

"Coran saved my life!" Lissa giggled, grabbing hold of their arm. "I sure am glad they were here after you left me behind to go fight with your new boyfriend."

"W-we're not..." Robin inched away from Chrom slightly.

"Who's th-this?" Coran redirected the conversation, halfway out of pity for the embarrassed looking stranger.

"His name is-" Chrom began, but Robin looked irritated.

"Robin. And I can introduce myself." He rolled his eyes before holding his hand out. "Hello, my name is Robin, and I'm the Shepard's newest amnesiac tactician." Coran smiled, taking his hand.

"M-my name is Coran, and I'm j-just a traveling Sage." Coran suddenly felt very short. Even Lissa was taller than them!

"You know, Coran," Chrom spoke, and Coran saw Frederick approaching the small group. "Your skills with magic are incredible. What do you say to joining the Shepherds?"

"I m-might have to think on it. Th-thank you for your o-offer." They bowed. "I'll be r-returning to my room at the inn, or w-what's left of it. I'll c-consider joining after I h-help these people r-rebuild."

"It'd be great if you did! You're really cool!" Lissa exclaimed, and Coran bid their farewells before turning away, hearing the princess continue speaking as Frederick joined the group.

"But wow, Robin! Swords, sorcery, _and_ tactics? Is there anything you _can't_ do?"

* * *

 _ **Word Count: 742**_

 **In which Robin exists.**

 **Hello there I don't know when I'll post again because I don't know where Awakening is**

 **Next time: A masked swords'man' enters the fray.**


	18. Chapter 18

Coran found themself running into the Shepherds much sooner than they'd been anticipating. It had only been a few hours since they'd last seen the others in Southtown. Their intention had been to help the townsfolk rebuild, but after helping put out the fires, the people insisted they had already done more than enough to help them. They were instructed to go rest, but they were fearful of the nightmares that plagued their sleep, so they instead snuck off to the forest. The air was a bit warm, but it wasn't too awful despite their large robes. Night had fallen at some point during their wandering, but they felt a bit jittery, not wanting to return to town and sleep. Bugs buzzed about in a somewhat annoying fashion, but Coran ignored them to the best of their ability.

All seemed normal for the majority of their walk. They'd already checked out of the inn they'd been staying at, so they decided they would wander towards Ylisstol Coran kept their eyes on the ground, putting one small foot in front of the other as they wondered why there were no pebbles on this pathway. They hummed idly to themself, cradling a dim orb of light in their hand to fight off their fear of darkness. It cast a pleasant glow about them without disturbing the sleep habits of the nature around them. Coran was often thankful for their specialty in Light magic for the simple reason that it helped fight one of their many fears. They supposed they'd have a rather difficult time getting about, were it not for their magic.

Coran's musings were rudely interrupted as the ground began to shake with an intensity they hadn't anticipated. They attempted to keep their balance, but soon founding themself much closer to the ground than they had been previously. Sitting up wasn't too difficult, thankfully, but they could see what looked like smoke in the distance, as well as the telltale glow of fire. Before they could stand, what looked like a large clock face manifested in the sky, with zodiac symbols instead of numbers. Crystals formed in the center, opening like an eye to reveal a portal of sorts. The ground had stopped shaking, so Coran felt it safe to stand once more. They weren't sure what was happening, and glancing at the portal once more showed figures falling from it. Coran had a moment of debate as they wondered whether they should attempt to make their way back to town, or get closer to the portal.

Before they could decide, they heard what sounded like a horse barrelling through the forest. In their attempt to get out of its way, they wound up stepping on the back of their cloak, falling backwards into the dirt. They saw their life flash before their eyes in those next few moments, and they were convinced they would be flattened by horse hooves. A loud whinny ripped through the air, and the horse stopped, nearly throwing its rider off its back.

"Oi, watch it, short stuff!"

"S-sorry! I-I'm sorry!" Coran yelped, their hands shielding their head. Their light had gone out in their panic, and they found themself shaking violently.

"I coulda killed you!" Whoever this was sounded angry.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry…" Coran repeated, their eyes feeling hot. There was a moment of quiet between the two of them.

"What's a kid like you doin' in this here forest, anyhow?" The rider asked, in a less brash tone. "It's dangerous here at night."

"I'm n-not a k-kid…" Coran mumbled, looking up. "H-hey, aren't you a Sh-Shepherd?" They thought they'd recognized the voice.

"Yeah, the name's Sully." Sully said. "You okay? I got a prince to find."

"Y-yeah, I'm fine! D-don't w-wait up for m-me if you have s-stuff to do!" Coran said hurriedly, getting up and brushing dirt off of their cloak.

"Stay safe, kiddo." Sully said, nodding at them and riding off.

Coran stared after her for a few moments.

"Ahh, what a beauty, is she not?" A foreign voice said from very close to Coran's ear. Coran yelped, nearly falling over for the third time that evening.

"W-w-who in the w-world are y-you?" Coran asked, though they honestly didn't really want to know.

"Why, have you not heard of me? I am the archest of archers…" The man put an arm around Coran's shoulders as he guided them in the same direction Sully had gone.

"I-I don't r-really…" Coran hadn't been intending on following her at all, but the man's grip was surprisingly strong.

It took a rather long time for him to get around to actually saying his name. Coran wondered how they got caught up in this odd situation.

* * *

 ** _Word Count: 788_**

 **In which I forgot to have the masked swords'man' properly enter the fray because I took the plot in a different direction.**

 **This has been sitting unfinished in my drive for a while...**

 **Next time: Coran is disturbed by the undead.**


End file.
